There's a lot about the San Francisco 49ers we just don't know yet. And that can be both exciting and concerning.
On one hand, can the Niners absorb the massive loss of talent suffered earlier this offseason, which forces them to rely heavily on a new cast of rookie draftees picked up last April? And will injuries, already a key storyline during training camp, remain a common theme as they did during 2024's dreadful 6-11 campaign?
If those X-factors don't go well, 2025 could be yet another disappointment. But, it's not as if head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad is lacking talent. Quarterback Brock Purdy just got paid, All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey is poised to return 100 percent from injuries suffered last year, tight end George Kittle is, well... George Kittle, defenders like Nick Bosa and Fred Warner are still atop their game and other blue-chip players dot the roster, too.
Oh, and getting coordinator Robert Saleh back to helm the defense is a massive boost, too. His presence makes a difference.
So, in summary, San Francisco's trajectory could go in one of several directions, which helps make sense of NFL.com's latest power rankings with preseason action just days away.
And the 49ers' landing spot isn't hard to argue with.
49ers land squarely in the middle of NFL.com's latest power rankings
With only the annual Hall of Fame game in the books, and the full remaining slate of exhibition bouts ready to kick off over the weekend, NFL.com's Eric Edholm dropped his pre-preseason power rankings that have the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles not surprisingly occupying the top spot.
So, what about the Niners?
Well, San Francisco landed at No. 15, not changing from its previous rank despite the latest injury setbacks Shanahan and Co. have had to navigate during camp. And, when looking at Edholm's descriptor behind their placement at 15th, it makes sense why the 49ers are squarely in the middle of the pack:
"The 49ers’ defense could receive a lot of help from rookies and new veteran faces. There are some battles to figure out at safety, linebacker and the pass-rush spots outside of Nick Bosa, but I expect substantial improvement from this D. Bosa is back and looks better overall, and Robert Saleh is running the show like old times. It might take some time getting this unit back into peak shape, but the potential is there over the course of the season. Offensively, the Niners need more availability from Christian McCaffrey, and the receiver room has to sort itself out. Ricky Pearsall is an important player for them this season. If Brock Purdy and CMC stay relatively healthy this season, I’ll be surprised if San Francisco is not back among the contending ranks."
There are a lot of "if" statements. "If" the Niners' rookie class performs well. "If" they get the most out of the defensive line and linebacker spots. "If" McCaffrey stays healthy. "If" Pearsall has a breakout season in year two.
The more ifs go the Niners' way, the better. But, the only problem is the more ifs there are, the more chances for things to go wrong.
And that helps make sense why San Francisco can't exactly be ranked any higher.
This makes for an intriguing season, though. The 49ers could proverbially "fly under the radar" with other teams writing them off after a turbulent offseason, potentially then claiming a playoff berth while not making a ton of noise in the process.
Or, things could remain turbulent, thanks to all the troubles that resulted from a troubling offseason.
The former outcome is much more preferable.